92 posts. And many faithful readers. Thanks :)
So, where did I leave off? Pardon the break in the logical flow while I go fish up the last post, so I don't tell you what you already know...
Ok. I believe I left off before Scout camp. Man that was a long time ago. Just in case anybody's keeping track, White Rabbit :)
I shall begin with a status report. It's only been two weeks since I got back from Summer camp. 9 days, if you want to be technical. It was so long ago though!
So summer camp was quite an interesting place to be at. El Rancho Cima is out in the middle of nowhere (practically, though the immediate vicinity is well populated), in the desert land North of San Antonio. They're currently in a drought, so everything is either white from the dust or brown and dry. The only exception is the Blanco riverbed, where we were actually camping.
Google Maps
Our typical day was started off with food provided by the commissary. Not the best meal of the day, but filling. Everybody headed off to their respective merit badge classes (where they -- what do you know -- earned merit badges :). Come lunch time we would receive yet another meal from the Commissary. I don't know how that was, I was gone most of the day.... More MB classes in the afternoon, some free time, some scheduled camp wide activity, and then dinner at the dining hall. Real meals! (some may argue that the rest were also real meals, but if so, these significantly dwarfed the others in quantity and quality) The whole process of getting to eat was rather slow and painful. Each troop would line up (sit down) on the rock wall outside the dining hall and wait for the cooks to be ready. Since it was a first-come-first-served basis for the troops, there would be people as early as 45 minutes before dinner actually started, sitting in the heat saving a spot for their troops to show up and... sit in the sun waiting. Sort of the "hurry up and wait" mentality for the masses.
After dinner was the best time (in my humble opinion). There was sure to be something going on that we'd be interested in, troop swim (in the river, much fewer people), death march, or if all else failed, dominoes and card games at camp.
My story is a little different. Every day was something of a struggle, getting out just after breakfast to the *other* camp (Horseshoe Bend, as opposed to Cockrell River Camp) for ARC lifeguard training. Lunch was out there, and I wouldn't be back at CRC until shortly before dinner. The class was the weirdest ever... no explanation desired. I was glad to be through with it at the end of the week! Thank you for your prayers!
Joshua, Cody (an Eagle scout, now 26? Came back as an adult) and I went with a random contingent of scouts on the longest hike possible -- Death March 3. 13 miles of up and down, starting early evening. By the end of it, we were all quite tired and out of water. But just to emphasize that we could keep going, Joshua and I did pushups while our fearless leader told the rest of the camp how hard it was. :)
Pictures may/should be forthcoming, if my camera worked. The batteries were running down, and I may have used a roll of film so old that it already had something on it... but I can hope.
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And here is the prerequisite musing for the day. Week. However long you like. Or however long it takes until I next post!
Relient K - Maintain Consciousness
Ok, you know I like music. I may have mentioned it before. Once or twice. You see, so often you get something meaningful with a reasonable tune to it! Perhaps this will show you what I mean.
"...and that one thing of the moment
that we all happen to like will
only very temporarily
kinda break the cycle
of the double edged sword
of being lazy and being bored
we just want more and more and more
till it's all we can afford
to keep our eyes open for just one more day
to keep on hoping that we'll stumble on our way
to keep our minds open for just one more day
cause its completely up to us
to maintain consciousness"
There are several things that are so true in today's world.
"The Double Edged Sword"
Being lazy and being bored. Two things that should never be an issue by themselves, much less together. However, the society of "more now" has brought the idea that 1) I need to be entertained (boredom) and 2) I shouldn't have to work very hard to get it (laziness). Now what is immediately apparent in that? (the obvious questions are often the most enlightening)
Consider for a moment man's purpose. The Westminster confession/catechism says "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever". Now tell me, what part of that says anything about enjoying myself? At what point in life am I supposed to glorify God by, say, attempting to get the most out of my satellite tv subscription? Boredom is not to be taken lightly, by anybody involved. Chances are whoever it is needs to be doing something, and is merely avoiding it.
God said there would be toil. From the day that Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, from the day that the ground was accursed because of our fallen nature, man has had to work to bring forth food from the ground (and by implication, any source of nourishment). Sorry guys, no free lunch.
Proverbs 10:4 "He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth."
Ok, you knew that already, didn't you. And if you didn't, read it again. It'll be important someday.
But what is more imminent for the believer is the trap of apathy. When a man simply doesn't care enough to carry out God's will on earth, he's already sunk deep in. The intermediate temptations are rather obscure, making them easier to fall into than ever before.
So often there comes a time when our time becomes a daily drag -- get through the day, make it to the next. One day down, another to come. While many of us (this I freely admit) are quite willing and able to carry out God's will in some big adventure, in traveling to Mexico to minister, even just getting on the road again, it's the typical, the ordinary, routine, that our adversary can use against us -- unless we guard against him. (Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. -1Peter5:8)
What has become of us if we are no longer passionate for the gospel? People, pay attention.
"Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? ~Ezekiel 18:23
The wicked are many in number, and it brings glory to the Lord that they "turn from their ways and live"!
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An addendum to the last post -- Friday, June 12th. For a post-VBS night, we went to Cici's pizza for dinner. It was very well attended, by a large group of people that were totally unrelated to anybody we brought :) (It turned out to be the OSU golf camp)
Afterwards was in my opinion one of the better parts of the two weeks (though there were an awful lot of better parts). We went straight from Cici's to the White Barn estates (or something like that) to play minigolf. They have a very fancy minigolf course -- water hazards, scaled buildings, and what appeared to be high quality turf ;)
I would love to show you a picture or two of the windmill/watermill right in the middle, but I didn't bring my camera (sadness). If anybody has pictures of said location, for the benefit of all involved, please bring them forth!
All else is dealt with, I believe. That's all folks! God bless.
-Petr
